Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Hit Road Again For Two More
3/7/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
March 7, 2003
EVANSTON, Ill. - The Northwestern women's lacrosse team is off to a 3-0 start in 2003 -- amazing, when you consider the program is in just its second year back as a varsity.
Included among those three wins are two against teams that beat the Wildcats a year ago, Brown and Harvard. On Wednesday, the 'Cats played their first home game and dominated Sacred Heart, 17-4. This weekend, they play two more teams they beat a year ago: Ohio University and Duquesne.
The game with the Bobcats takes on added significance, of course, because it is the American Lacrosse Conference opener for both teams. The ALC has already been thrown for a loop; in the first weekend of the season, Penn State knocked off defending champion Vanderbilt. With a wide-open race sure to ensue, this is a game both teams need to get off to a good start in conference play.
"I think having Saturday's game be the ALC opener adds a lot to the table," said NU head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller. "This OU team is a good team, they have a great new coach and I think they -- like us -- will be vastly improved from a year ago. Lindsey Hart was the second-leading scorer in the nation last year and is a great player. This is another exciting challenge for us."
OU began the season last week with a 17-8 win against Albany, and will be playing its home opener in what is expected to be a beautiful spring day in Athens -- a far cry from the miserable conditions NU has played in so far this season.
The Wildcats, meanwhile, are coming off a game in which 13 different players scored. The attack has been led this season by sophomore Courtney Flynn -- an Inside Lacrosse National Player of the Week finalist last weekend -- and freshman Lynda McCandlish. Flynn has nine goals and an assist, while McCandlish has two three-goal games to her credit as she heads back to her home state.
"We are getting a lot of contributions from different people," said Amonte Hiller. "We have a lot of weapons, and that makes us difficult to play against. It is a real confidence boost for us, too."
On Monday, the 'Cats are in Pittsburgh to take on a Duquesne team they defeated 10-8 last season. Once again, the focus will be on improving and looking for the positive result. Monday's game will take place at Mount Lebanon High School and begin at noon EST.
"Every game, we try to take a look at what we have to do to improve, not what we have to do to stop the other team," Amonte Hiller. "We are hoping to take our game to the next level, if we continue to do that I will be happy."
With a 3-0 mark already, and playing two teams they beat a year ago, could the 'Cats be overlooking this weekend?
"I don't think that will happen," said Amonte Hiller. "We really focus on being in the moment, and the players have bought into that philosophy. Confidence is not a bad thing, but I do not want them to be overconfident heading into any game and I don't think it will happen."
